Getting back in the game (somewhat) and have been lurking here and on the SKSBoards site. There seems to be a bit more traffic here (since re-animation) than on the other (SKSBorads) RE: Yugo SKS rifles. My issue that stimulated this post is the cleaning rod and kit on my Yugo SKS. It came with the rifle along with all of the other accessories (ammo pouch, oiler w pouch, in-stock cleaning kit etc). Not everything was in the "new, unissued" condition that many take great pleasure in bragging about but I was, at least, assuming that they were all what were intended to be part of the original issue ensemble.

The cleaning rod is stored under the barrel and held in place by the bayonet mechanism and allows for removal when the blade is perpendicular to the barrel.
I have a few issues with the cleaning rod on this rifle. I don't know if the rod is supposed to thread into anything in the fore end of the stock? Mine does not seem to do so. I'm a bit bothered by that fact that the cleaning rod rattles around in its holding mechanism. Everything else is tight on this rifle and I don't think that this rattling issue is true to form. I've placed a small (3/8ths") piece of rubber tubing on the rod in between the loose end points. It fits between the bottom of the gas valve band and the bayonet blade (when closed) and prevents any rattling .

Probably the issue that puzzles me most is the fact that the included cleaning rod is NO WAY long enough to clean the barrel on a Yugo SKS 59/66 A1 !!! The rod itself has an overall length of just under 40 cm (just over 15"). The barrel measures jut over 60 cm (~24") from the breech face to the end of the muzzle/grenade launcher. I was always taught to NEVER reverse direction in the middle of the barrel when cleaning with a cleaning rod. What's the deal here? I'm I missing something? Is the rod just for show? A post/reply that I've read recently mentioned that the Yugoslavian Army highly discouraged the use of a cleaning rod with the Yugo SKS rifles.The jag and the brush in the cleaning kit both thread on to the cleaning rod tho.

My accessory ensemble did include what I'm assuming is a pull through cord. It's weighted on both ends though with non-ferrous metal of some kind. Overall length of about 2.8m (110") with a loop arrangement in the middle to hold a piece of cleaning cloth.

None of these things are major issues as we can all use modern commercial supplies to clean these rifles. I just wanted to know if anyone else had questioned these seemingly incongruous bits and pieces.
Spavac

You got lucky as mine came with one too long to stay in the slot. Turns out it was for a Russian m44 or at least that's where it resides now. So that saved me money buying one for it.
As to length there really was no way to make one long enough to fin under the grenade launcher. There may well have been an additional length of rod to make up the difference. The Russians put a section in their Mosin m91 cleaning kits.
I have a little trouble using rods on rifles so I use an East German AK 47 cleaning kit, chamber to muzzle being careful to not drag th cord on the muzzle.
A modern bore snake by hoppes would be even better but I am cheap and don't shoot as much as I would like.